A case of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever with the bacteremia of Clostridium perfringens

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a worldwide tick-borne viral infection in humans. The aim of the study is to report a case of a female patient with severe CCHF with the bacteremia of Clostridium perfringens. An 18-year-old woman admitted to the emergency department with sudden onset of fever, nausea and vomiting, myalgia, headache, generalized abdominal pain. It was learned that the patient was living in a rural area and had a history of tick bite 3 days before the admission. At laboratory examination, bicytopenia, abnormal liver function tests, and abnormal coagulation parameters were observed. The diagnosis of the case was confirmed with a positive real-time polymerase chain reaction. On the third day of hospitalization, she had an increase in abdominal pain, confusion, and respiratory distress. She was transferred to the intensive care unit for close monitoring. On the fifth day of hospitalization, she developed fever again. Catheter and peripheral anaerobic blood cultures grew C. perfringens. No evidence of perforation was observed on abdominal tomography. It has been successfully treated with a multidisciplinary approach. CCHF demonstrates different types of clinical presentations, except for common symptoms of fever and hemorrhage. A case of CCHF with C. perfringens bacteremia has not been previously reported before.

Automated summary

This study reports a case of severe CCHF with Clostridium perfringens bacteremia in a female patient, who presented with symptoms such as fever, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. The diagnosis was confirmed using real-time polymerase chain reaction, and successful treatment was achieved through a multidisciplinary approach.